College - Author 1

College of Engineering

Department - Author 1

Computer Engineering Department

Degree Name - Author 1

BS in Computer Engineering

Date

6-2026

Primary Advisor

Andrew Danowitz, College of Engineering, Computer Engineering Department

Abstract/Summary

The PolySaber project was developed as a custom reactive lightsaber control system built as a fully custom PCB design. The purpose of the project was to create a lower-cost and more customizable alternative to commercially available lightsaber soundboards while simultaneously providing hands-on experience in PCB design, embedded systems development, and hardware integration. Commercial lightsaber soundboards are expensive, proprietary, and difficult for hobbyists to customize. The PolySaber project addresses this by creating a modifiable hardware platform built around the ESP32 microcontroller. The system supports programmable firmware, RGB NeoPixel blade control, motion sensing, reactive swing and clash effects, onboard audio amplification, and battery-powered standalone operation.

Although the project was self-directed, the intended audience includes electronics hobbyists, makers, and lightsaber enthusiasts seeking an affordable and customizable alternative to existing commercial products. The project also serves as an educational platform for learning embedded hardware design and firmware development.

Developers and makers alike benefit from the open and programmable architecture of the board. Future users may modify the firmware through the exposed programming header using a USB-to-TTL interface connected to the ESP32, enabling the platform to support additional features and custom applications beyond lightsaber control.

The project deliverables include PCB schematics and layouts, manufactured PCB prototypes, embedded firmware, power management circuitry, hardware testing and validation results, and a fully operational standalone lightsaber controller capable of driving a 130-LED NeoPixel blade. Development of the PolySaber system occurred through four major hardware revisions. Initial concepts were tested on a breadboard before progressing to a protoboard implementation mounted on a wooden platform. A third revision introduced a partial PCB focused on control circuitry without integrated power management. The final revision resulted in a compact standalone PCB integrating control electronics, power management, charging circuitry, motion sensing, audio output, and NeoPixel blade control into a single system.

The completed project demonstrates that a compact and customizable embedded lightsaber platform can be developed using accessible components and open development tools. The resulting system provides a foundation for future hardware revisions, firmware expansion, and additional experimentation within the hobbyist electronics community.

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